{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T06:07:17Z","timestamp":1788934037943,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":53,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>South Africa has seen a rise in gender-based violence (GBV), which now ranks as a top contributor to years of life lost for women. GBV is a significant public health challenge. Physicians and other medical professionals need targeted knowledge and skills for an adequate response. This study assessed South African physicians\u2019 understanding and opinions on GBV care. It also explored the effects on physicians treating survivors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To assess the understanding and opinions of practicing physicians in South Africa, the study used a qualitative method. One mini focus group discussion (mini-FGD) included four physicians from four provinces. This was followed by one in-depth interview (IDI). Researchers conducted thematic analysis using Atlas.ti. They organized themes based on guided prompts.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Physicians identified structural and social barriers like societal issues, inefficient systems, lack of collaborative efforts for GBV, community factors affecting the care, personal financing for GBV care that block survivor access to GBV care. Survivors often return to unsafe environments because of poor support services. Physicians reported stress, fatigue, and helplessness while responding to GBV survivors. While physicians are motivated by empathy to help survivors, they also experience trauma due to the growing number of GBV cases.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The high incidence of GBV in South Africa demands comprehensive attention. Physicians recognized GBV care as a complex socioeconomic and public health issue. They reported that enhanced cooperation between the government and the private sector, with a focus on funding prevention and strengthening infrastructure, would improve care for survivors of GBV.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1716697","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T05:50:05Z","timestamp":1788933005000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Physicians\u2019 opinions on GBV: a qualitative pilot study in South Africa"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Koustuv","family":"Dalal","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Public Health Science, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University","place":["Sundsvall, Sweden"]},{"name":"Strategic Communication, University of Johannesburg","place":["Johannesburg, South Africa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Swarupa N.","family":"Kshirsagar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Public Health Science, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University","place":["Sundsvall, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Corn\u00e9","family":"Davis-Buitendag","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Strategic Communication, University of Johannesburg","place":["Johannesburg, South Africa"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(25)02598-X","article-title":"Global burden of disease from intimate partner violence against women and sexual violence against children: a call to action","volume":"407","author":"Jewkes","year":"2026","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"53","DOI":"10.1007\/s44155-025-00203-7","article-title":"Where, when and what? A national support Centre scenario for victims of gender-based violence","volume":"5","author":"Davis-Buitendag","year":"2025","journal-title":"Discov Soc Sci Health"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5812\/semj-148693","article-title":"Prevalence, socioeconomic determinants, and regional disparities of intimate partner violence (IPV) in India: a review over the three National Family Health Surveys","volume":"26","author":"Dalal","year":"2025","journal-title":"Shiraz E-Med J"},{"key":"ref4","article-title":"Intimate partner violence surveillance: uniform definitions and recommended data elements. Version 2.0","author":"Breiding","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"112061","DOI":"10.1016\/j.injury.2024.112061","article-title":"Musculoskeletal injuries from gender-based violence at a tertiary hospital orthopaedic Centre, Central South Africa","volume":"56","author":"Leslie","year":"2025","journal-title":"Injury"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1201","DOI":"10.1038\/s41562-025-02144-2","article-title":"The health effects associated with physical, sexual and psychological gender-based violence against men and women: a burden of proof study","volume":"9","author":"Stein","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nat Hum Behav"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1016\/s1542-3565(04)00776-1","article-title":"Prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders in women who report domestic violence to the police","volume":"3","author":"Perona","year":"2005","journal-title":"Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"498","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2015.1119293","article-title":"Domestic violence against women in India: a systematic review of a decade of quantitative studies","volume":"12","author":"Kalokhe","year":"2017","journal-title":"Glob Public Health"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.4103\/0970-0218.40871","article-title":"Addressing domestic violence against women: an unfinished agenda","volume":"33","author":"Kaur","year":"2008","journal-title":"Indian J Community Med"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"470","DOI":"10.1097\/AOG.0000000000003326","article-title":"Intimate partner violence and women\u2019s health","volume":"134","author":"Lutgendorf","year":"2019","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"ref11","author":"Joyner","year":"2015","journal-title":"Intimate partner violence (IPV) in South Africa: How to break the vicious cycle"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103016","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wsif.2024.103016","article-title":"Gender inequality: a worldwide correlate of intimate partner violence","volume":"107","author":"Johnson","year":"2024","journal-title":"Women's Stud Int Forum"},{"key":"ref13","article-title":"International Center for Transitional Justice","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref14","article-title":"United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)","volume-title":"Clinical management of rape and intimate partner violence survivors: developing protocols for use in humanitarian settings","year":""},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1002\/nop2.120","article-title":"Gender-based violence and the role of healthcare professionals","volume":"5","author":"Ali","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nurs Open"},{"key":"ref16","article-title":"Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women","year":"2013"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20075409","article-title":"Knowledge, implementation, and gaps of gender-based violence management guidelines among health care workers","volume":"20","author":"Mtaita","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1429","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-022-08826-1","article-title":"Improving health system readiness to address violence against women and girls: a conceptual framework","volume":"22","author":"Colombini","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0295494","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0295494","article-title":"Health providers readiness in managing intimate partner violence in public health institutions, Ethiopia","volume":"18","author":"Teshome","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"584","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-023-02700-w","article-title":"Healthcare provider experiences interacting with survivors of intimate partner violence: a qualitative study to inform survivor-centered approaches","volume":"23","author":"Anguzu","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Womens Health"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"374","DOI":"10.1145\/3706598.3713588","article-title":"\u201cAll day, every day, listening to trauma\u201d: investigating features of digital interventions for empathy-based stress and burnout","volume":"2025","author":"Chau","year":"2025","journal-title":"Proc SIGCHI Conf Hum Factor Comput Syst"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1640","DOI":"10.1177\/10778012221114922","article-title":"Conceptualizing physicians\u2019 roles in addressing intimate partner violence: a critical discourse analysis of resources for Canadian physicians","volume":"29","author":"Cavanagh","year":"2023","journal-title":"Violence Against Women"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1016\/s0301-2115(98)00140-7","article-title":"Violence against women: the physician\u2019s role","volume":"80","author":"Schmuel","year":"1998","journal-title":"Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1199743","DOI":"10.3389\/fgwh.2024.1199743","article-title":"Gender-based violence and femicide interventions-perspectives from community members and activists in South Africa","volume":"5","author":"Mkwananzi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Glob Womens Health"},{"key":"ref25","article-title":"Gender based violence (GBV) in South Africa: a National Disaster!","author":"Mosebo","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"640","DOI":"10.1177\/10778012251348425","article-title":"Unveiling the challenges of gender-based violence NGOs in South Africa","volume":"32","author":"Kieser","year":"2026","journal-title":"Violence Against Women"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.11604\/pamj.2024.49.108.38454","article-title":"Managing gender-based violence patients: implications for the practices and attitudes of emergency medical care providers","volume":"49","author":"Mohokare","year":"2024","journal-title":"Pan Afr Med J"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.4102\/phcfm.v10i1.1724","article-title":"Legal duties, professional obligations or notional guidelines? Screening, treatment and referral of domestic violence cases in primary health care settings in South Africa","volume":"10","author":"Artz","year":"2018","journal-title":"African J Primary Health Care Family Med"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e67571","DOI":"10.2196\/67571","article-title":"The health sector response to gender-based violence and sexual reproductive health programs in the commonwealth and selected African countries: protocol for a mixed methods systematic review and Meta-analysis","volume":"14","author":"Phaswana-Mafuya","year":"2025","journal-title":"JMIR Res Protoc"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.25302\/05.2020.ME.1403117064","volume-title":"Comparing Interview and Focus Group Data Collected in Person and Online","author":"Guest","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref31","volume-title":"Handbook of Qualitative Organizational Research","author":"Rynes","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"385","DOI":"10.17705\/1CAIS.05216","article-title":"Conducting online focus groups - practical advice for information systems researchers","volume":"52","author":"Schulze","year":"2023","journal-title":"Commun Assoc Inf Syst"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e20190250","DOI":"10.1590\/0034-7167-2019-0250","article-title":"Thematic content analysis using ATLAS.Ti software: potentialities for researchs in health","volume":"73","author":"Soratto","year":"2020","journal-title":"Rev Bras Enferm"},{"key":"ref34","article-title":"ATLAS.Ti mac (version 23.2.1) [qualitative data analysis software]","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1444603","DOI":"10.3389\/frph.2025.1444603","article-title":"Barriers to sexual and reproductive health communication in Southwest Ethiopia: perspectives of parents, youths, and teachers","volume":"7","author":"Gizaw","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Reprod Health"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"637","DOI":"10.3390\/bs13080637","article-title":"College student\u2019s academic help-seeking behavior: a systematic literature review","volume":"13","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Behav Sci (Basel)"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1177\/1077801298004003002","article-title":"Violence against women: an integrated, ecological framework","volume":"4","author":"Heise","year":"1998","journal-title":"Violence Against Women"},{"key":"ref38","article-title":"Preventing violence against women [internet]","year":""},{"key":"ref39","volume-title":"Guidelines for Integrating Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Action: Reducing risk, promoting resilience and aiding recovery","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1722404","DOI":"10.1080\/26410397.2020.1722404","article-title":"Barriers and facilitators to care-seeking among survivors of gender-based violence in the Dadaab refugee complex","volume":"28","author":"Muuo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sex Reprod Health Matters"},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2191","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-19663-8","article-title":"Exploring the barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to enhance uptake of sexual and reproductive health, HIV and GBV services among adolescent girls and young women in Zambia: a qualitative study","volume":"24","author":"Ngoma-Hazemba","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1037\/tra0000295","article-title":"PTSD, mental illness, and care among survivors of sexual violence in northern Uganda: findings from the WAYS study","author":"Amone-P\u2019Olak","year":"2018"},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"602","DOI":"10.1093\/aje\/kwt295","article-title":"Tip of the iceberg: reporting and gender-based violence in developing countries","volume":"179","author":"Palermo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Am J Epidemiol"},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1688","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2018.13212","article-title":"Screening for intimate partner violence, elder abuse, and abuse of vulnerable adults: evidence report and systematic review for the US preventive services task force","volume":"320","author":"Feltner","year":"2018","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref45","article-title":"GBV-Report22_050822.Pdf","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1\u20132","DOI":"10.4102\/safp.v65i1.5729","article-title":"Gender-based violence - an increasing epidemic in South Africa","volume":"65","author":"Govender","year":"2023","journal-title":"S Afr Fam Pract"},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"834","DOI":"10.1177\/0886260507313951","article-title":"Wife beating in South Africa: an imbalance theory of resources and power","volume":"23","author":"Choi","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Interpers Violence"},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0000479","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000479","article-title":"Systematic review of food insecurity and violence against women and girls: mixed methods findings from low- and middle-income settings","volume":"2","author":"Hatcher","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLoS Glob Public Health"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"765","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2018.12.013","article-title":"Pathways from food insecurity to intimate partner violence perpetration among peri-urban men in South Africa","volume":"56","author":"Hatcher","year":"2019","journal-title":"Am J Prev Med"},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"262","DOI":"10.1016\/S0035-9203(98)91001-X","article-title":"Child sexual abuse in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa","volume":"92","author":"Larsen","year":"1998","journal-title":"Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg"},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2901","DOI":"10.1177\/15248380221118962","article-title":"Patient and provider emergency care experiences related to intimate partner violence: a systematic review of the existing evidence","volume":"24","author":"Duchesne","year":"2023","journal-title":"Trauma Violence Abuse"},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1486","DOI":"10.4314\/ahs.v19i1.22","article-title":"Preparing medical students to recognize and respond to gender based violence in Nigeria","volume":"19","author":"Fawole","year":"2019","journal-title":"Afr Health Sci"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e20180411","DOI":"10.1590\/0034-7167-2018-0411","article-title":"Use of webQDA software on qualitative nursing research: an experience report","volume":"73","author":"Machado","year":"2020","journal-title":"Rev Bras Enferm"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1716697\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T05:50:07Z","timestamp":1788933007000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1716697\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"references-count":53,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1716697"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1716697","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"article-number":"1716697"}}